Sausage and Peppers Pasta

Posted October 6, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

In under half an hour, you can whip up this delectable Italian sausage and peppers pasta, making it an excellent choice for those hectic weeknight dinners when you crave something speedy, yet still scrumptious and healthful. The straightforward fusion of Italian sausages, bell peppers, onions, pasta, and Parmesan cheese creates a delightful and nourishing meal that strikes a perfect balance.

I have a soft spot for pasta, particularly when it carries a hint of spiciness. Whether it’s a dash of chili flakes, a bit of zesty sausage, or a combination of both, I’m all about pasta smothered in a tomato sauce with a zesty kick.

Ingredients Required

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to prepare this zesty sausage and pepper pasta:

– Pasta: I prefer rigatoni for pairing with sausage and peppers, but you can certainly choose another pasta shape such as penne, farfalle, or conchiglie.

– Italian Sausages: This recipe leans toward spiciness, so I’ve used spicy Italian sausages. However, if you’re not a fan of heat, you can opt for mild Italian sausages, beef sausages, turkey sausages, or chicken sausages.

– Bell Peppers: Red bell peppers are preferred as they provide the sweetest flavor, but yellow and orange bell peppers will also work. Avoid green bell peppers, as they tend to be too bitter.

– Onion and Garlic: These aromatics enhance the sausage’s flavor.

– Herbs and Spices: A touch of Italian seasoning for that Italian-inspired zest and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to add some heat.

– Tomatoes: To bind the sauce together. Passata is my preferred choice, but diced tomatoes can be used if necessary.

– Parmesan Cheese: No pasta dish is complete without Parmesan cheese!

Instructions for Preparing Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta

Creating this pasta dish with sausage and peppers is remarkably swift and straightforward, and it makes for fantastic leftovers. Here’s the step-by-step process:

Cook the Pasta: Start by cooking your pasta in a large pot of salted water until it reaches your desired level of doneness (al dente or otherwise).
Cook the Peppers: In a pan, combine red bell peppers, onions, and olive oil, and cook until they become tender.
Cook the Sausage: Remove the casing from the Italian sausages, add them to the pan with the peppers, and cook until they’re no longer pink.
Prepare the Sauce: After cooking the sausage and peppers, add the tomato sauce and simmer everything for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Combine Everything: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and gently stir, incorporating Parmesan cheese. Add splashes of pasta water as needed to achieve the desired consistency, ensuring the pasta is well-coated in the sauce.
Season and Serve: Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning as necessary before serving. Optionally, sprinkle some extra red pepper flakes for added heat.

This pasta tastes best when served immediately, adorned with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

Variations

If you don’t fancy spiciness, opt for mild Italian sausage and omit the red pepper flakes altogether.

Can’t find rigatoni pasta? While any pasta shape will suffice, short-cut pasta like penne, rotini, elbows, bow ties, shells, and ziti pairs wonderfully.

If you avoid pork, consider using chicken or turkey sausage, ensuring it’s Italian and/or spicy for optimal results.

For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free pasta and ensure your sausages are also gluten-free.

If you want to go vegetarian, though you won’t replicate the same depth of flavor, you can use tofu sausage or ground tofu. Be sure to add extra olive oil, herbs, and spices to compensate for the missing fat and flavor from pork sausage.

Storage and Reheating

To Store: Let the pasta cool completely and then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Once cooled, transfer the pasta to an airtight container in the freezer, where it can be stored for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: When ready to enjoy, thaw the pasta thoroughly and then heat it in a pan over low-medium heat. Add a splash of water and heat until the pasta is warm and the sauce is smooth, occasionally adding small splashes of water to rehydrate the pasta. Alternatively, you can reheat the pasta from a thawed state in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Sausage and Peppers Pasta

Crafted with zesty Italian sausages, onions, and red bell peppers, this sausage and peppers pasta is a flavorful dish that’s ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect solution for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

12 ounces (340 grams) rigatoni, about 4 cups, or your preferred short-cut pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 Italian sausages, casing removed
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed chilies
1 jar passata or tomato sauce, 24 ounces (680ml)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente or according to package directions. Once cooked, drain pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender. Then add sausage, squeezing the meat out of the casing, and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking the sausage up with a spatula or wooden spoon, until it’s cooked through.
Once the sausage is almost cooked, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed chilies (if using), a pinch of salt, and mix to combine with the vegetable and sausage mixture. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add passata to the pan and stir to combine with the sausage and vegetable mixture. Bring it to a simmer, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and spices as needed.
After the pasta is cooked, strain it and then transfer the noodles to the pan with the sauce (or use the empty pasta pot if your pan is too small). Gently toss the pasta until it’s coated with the sausage and pepper sauce.
Add Parmesan cheese and mix gently to combine, adding small splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.
Serve the finished pasta immediately, garnished with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Any leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.